1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cooking grills and more particularly cooking grills having a top surface upon which food may be cooked with a heat source located beneath the grill.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There is a wealth of art relating to the very old, probably ancient, concept of grilling food, particularly meat, on a grill which supports the food being cooked over a heat source and which allows the food to be directly or indirectly exposed to the heat. There are generally two types of grills, one having an imperforate cooking surface and the other having perforations or openings in the cooking surface to allow direct exposure of the food to the heat source. Examples of the former would be the common frying pan or griddle as well as the devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,216,973 to Epprecht; 1,962,908 to Pierson; 2,639,659 to Fry; 2,849,949 to Trachtman; and 3,842,726 to Fantz. Examples of the latter type of grill are the common wire mesh or cast metal type grills such as those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,451,971 to Tocchio; 2,477,721 to Chesser et al; 2,816,538 to Miller et al; 3,199,438 to Myler et al; 3,753,396 to Koziol; 3,937,138 to Tidwell; 3,946,651 to Garcia; 4,034,662 to McLane; 141,370 (Des.) to Hufford et al; 151,344 (Des.) to Hathaway; 243,436 (Des.) to Vide; 246,883 (Des.) to DiRuscio; German Pat. No. 166,128 and Swiss Pat. No. 34940.
The above references all show different cooking surface configurations for both perforate and imperforate grills. Among the perforate type there are some with flat cooking surfaces and uniformly distributed openings, such as the devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,816,538; 3,753,396; 3,937,138; and 246,883 (Des.). Among the imperforate type there are some with flat cooking surfaces with grooves or channels to draw off the juices such as the devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,962,908; and 3,842,726.
I have discovered a unique configuration of perforate cooking grill with flat cooking surface and grooves for drawing off cooking liquids that is particularly suitable for use with the heat source underneath the grill.